D.  F.  WIIBERFORCE 


tihrary  of  tire  Itheolo^ical  ^tminaxy 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


PRESENTED  BY 

Rufus  H.    LeFevre 


HERBRO  AND  THE  SHERBROS; 


\  Native  African's  Account  of  His 
Country  and  People. 


DANIEL   F.  WiLBERFORCE. 


'  Whereas  thou  hast  been  forsaken  and  hated,  so  that  no  man  went  through 
i€,    I   will   make   thee  an  eternal    excellency,    a  joy  of  roany  generations." 
6a:  15. 


dayton,  ohio: 
United  Brethren  Publishing  House: 

1S86. 


J 


I 


V 


REV    D.  F.  WILBERFORCE. 


I 


SHERBRO  IND  THE  SHERBROS: 


OR, 


A  Native  African's  Account  o 
Country  and  People. 


DANIEL   F.  WILBERFORCE. 


"Whereas  thou  hast  been  forsaken  and  hated,  so  that  no  man  went  through 
thee,  I  will  make  thee  an  eternal  excellency,  a  joy  of  manj'^generations." 
Isa.  60  :  15. 


dayton,  ohio: 
United  Brethren  Publishing  House: 


i^^l 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Archive 

in  2009  witii  funding  from 

Princeton  Tiieoiogicai  Seminary  Library 


littp://www.arcliive.org/details/slierbrosherbrosoOOwilb 


: .'  ft  r 


PREKACB. 


The  author  of  tlris  pamphlet  is  a  man  whose  history  must  be  highly  interesting 
to  all  friends  of  the  missionary  cause.  It  is  fitting  that  a  brief  account  of  his 
life  accompany  this  work. 

Daniel  Flickinger  Wilberforce  was  born  on  Sberbro  Island,  near  the 
mainland,  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa,  February  24,  1857,  and  is  therefore  now 
twenty-nine  years  of  age.  His  parents  had  been  converted  to  Christianity  before 
he  was  born,  so  that  he  is  not,  and  never  has  been  anything  approximating  a 
heathen.  His  parents,  after  their  conversion,  took  the  name  of  the  great  English 
philanthropist.  Rev.  D.  K.  Flickinger  (now  bishop  of  the  United  Brethren  in 
Christ)  was  then  laboring  as  a  missionary  in  Africa,  and  the  parents  named  their 
boy  for  this  man  of  God. 

Late  in  the  year  of  187 1,  Mr.  Wilberforce  found  his  way  to  New  York  in  com- 
pany with  a  returning  missionary;  and  shortly  after,  Mr.  Flickinger,  by  the 
advice  of  the  Missionary  Board,  brought  young  Daniel  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  where 
he  was  at  once  placed  in  the  public  schools.  He  passed  through  the  several 
grades  of  the  District,  Intermediate,  and  High  school,  and  took  one  year  of 
special  studies  in  Union  Biblical  Seminary,  in  seven  years.  When  Mr.  Wilber- 
force graduated  from  the  High  School,  he  received  one  of  the  three  diplomas  of 
SPECIAL  HONOR.  His  personal  bearing,  thrilling  graduating  address,  and  high 
standing  in  his  class  drew  from  his  many  friends  and  the  immense  audience 
present  most  emphatic  outbursts  of  applause. 

After  selecting  a  Christian  lady  of  Dayton  for  a  life  companion,  Miss  Lizzie 
Harris,  to  whom  he  was  married  October  17,  1878,  Mr.  Wilberforce  sailed  for  his 
native  land  under  the  auspices  of  the  United  Brethren  Missionary  Society,  in  the 
autumn  of  1878. 

His  faith  and  zeal  in  the  work  of  preaching  the  Gospel  to  his  fellow-country- 
men soon  attracted  the  attention  of  all  in  any  way  acquainted  with  the  missionary 
efforts  on  the  Western  coast  of  Africa.  To  a  remarkable  degree  his  health  and 
strength  were  prolonged.     At  the  close  of  six  years'  successful  labor,  owing  to 


^    /     ^1 


some  decline  of  his  own  health,  and  the  necessity  of  a  change  of  climate  for  a 
time  on  the  part  of  Mrs.  Wilberforce  (her  health  being  greatly  impaired),  it  was 
deemed  wise  to  return  to  America  for  a  season  of  rest,  and  other  needed  qualifi- 
cations for  their  work  in  Africa,  Accordingly,  they  sailed  for  New  York  in 
April,  1885.  Since  their  arrival,  Mr.  Wilberforce  has  been  actively  engaged  in 
traTeling,  preaching,  lecturing,  and  collecting  money  for  the  work  to  which  he 
has  consecrated  his  life. 

As  Africa  is  a  very  sickly  country,  a  knowledge  of  medicine  is  almost  essential 
to  the  successful  career  of  a  missionary.  Hence,  as  soon  as  he  returned  to  Dayton, 
he  began  the  study  of  medicine  under  the  tutors'hip  of  Dr,  William  Webster,  an 
eminent  practitioner  of  the  city,  and  in  due  time  he  repaired  to  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
where  he  pursued  with  great  industry  and  faithfulness  a  course  of  medical 
lectures,  thus  fitting  himself  to  go  on  in  the  study  and  practice  of  the  healing 
art  with  great  usefulness  among  his  native  Sherbros.  He  will  sail  for  Africa 
again  in  a  few  days.         '   j' 

His  pamphlet  will  speak  for  itself.  It  has  been  prepared  with  great  pains  by 
one  eminently  qualified  by  experience,  culture,  and  piety  for  the  task.  He 
glories  in  the  Cross  as  being  the  true  remedy  for  his  countrymen's  woes,  and 
is  both  able  and  willing  to  give  a  reason  for  the  hope  that  is  in  him,  both  for 

himself  and  his  fellows.  "' 

'Wm.  McKee. 
Dayton,  Ohio,  August  i,  1886, 


A 


RUFUS  H.  LT-EVEri 


INDKX. 

I.     Resources  Long  Hidden 7 

II.     I,ove  of  Country  and  Countrymen 8 

III.  Work  of  United  Brethren 8 

IV.  l,aws  and  Government 10 

V.     Husbands  and  Wives 11 

VI.     Homes 12 

VII.     Hospitalit}^ ij 

^^iii.     African  Children 16 

IX.     Animals,   Insecfls,   Oysters ig 

X.     Farms 21 

XI.     Religions  and  Institutions 23 

XII.     Mohammedan  Deception 26 

XIII.  Societies 26 

XIV.  Missionary'  Elfforts 27 

XV.     Plans  and  Methods 


XVI.     A  United  States  Officer's  Testimonv. 


33 
33 


XVII.     Colonization •7. 

xviii.     More  Work  for  Christ 35 

5 


^HEJRBRO  AND  THE)  ^HElRBRO^, 


I  I.      RESOURCES   LONG    HIDDEN. 

It  is  more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  since  the  European  visited 
the  west  coast  of  Africa  for  business  purposes.  His  traffic  was  then  in 
human  beings.  A  wonderful  change  has  taken  place;  the  sons  of  those 
who  robbed  and  despoiled  Africa,  and  entailed  untold  miseries  upon  her, 
are  now  presenting  to  her  the  true  panacea  for  these  woes, —  the^Gospel. 
Commercial  relations  have  also  changed,  so  that,  instead  of  cargoes  of 
human  souls,  we  have  a  growing  commerce  in  palm  kernels  and  oil,  ivory, 
gum,  ginger,  hides,  gold-dust,  diamonds,  etc.  Yet  it  is  surprising  that  during 
so  many  years  of  intercourse  the  interior  remained  closed  to  the  foreigner. 
While  I  do  not  regard  lightly  the  adventures  and  explorations  of  Messrs. 
Baker,  Burton,  Speke,  Grant,  and  others,  who  have  published  and  given 
to  the  world  some  knowledge  of  the  people  met  in  their  travels  through  the 
wilds  of  Africa,  yet  it  is  but  fair  to  say  it  is  only  recently  that,  through  the 
labors  of  the  great  Dr.  Livingstone,  and  explorations  and  accounts  given 
by  Mr.  Stanley,  that  the  foreigner  has  been  permitted  to  gaze  into  the  in- 
terior of  a  country,  marvelous  in  its  extent  and  vast  resources ;  the  grandeur 
of  its  natural  scenery,  with  a  soil  capable  of  the  highest  development. 

Has  not  the  God  whose  hand  hath  led  the  nations,  permitted  that  country 
to  remain  so  long  unknown  that  Christianity  might  achieve  her  greatest 
triumphs  in  the  dark  continent  ?  The  fact  alone  that  the  valley  of  the  Congo 
was  opened,  and  the  "Free  State"  established,  the  leading  nations  of  the 
world  consenting,  without  the  shedding  of  one  drop  of  blood  in  war,  seems 
to  me  the  beginning  of  triumphs. 

The  population  is  variously  estimated.  Until  more  accurate  statistics  are 
obtained,  we  must  be  satisfied  to  place  our  population  at  250,000,000.     Two 


hundred  and  fifty  millions  of  beings,  created  in  God's  image  to  hear  the 
gospel,  is  a  fact  that  ought  to  awaken  the  church  of  Christ  to  a  just  sense 
of  its  responsibility  and  the  immensity  of  the  field  to  be  occupied. 

The  country  on  the  west  coast  is,  for  the  most  part,  low  and  almost  level, 
(there  are  exceptions),  but  the  land  rises  gradually  toward  the  interior,  and 
there  we  have  the  same  variety  in  soil  that  you  find  elsewhere.  This  fact 
has  led  some  to  believe  that  the  interior  higher  locations  are  much  more  to 
be  preferred  for  health,  even  for  the  European  or  American. 

The  people  are  divided  into  various  tribes,  speaking  different  dialects,  and 
differing  somewhat  in  respect  to  customs,  manners,  and  dispositions.  A 
marked  difference  in  physical  appearance  and  intellectual  capacity  is  ap- 
parent to  an  observant  mind.  Upward  of  400  dialects  are  spoken.  The 
Veys,  or  Gallinas  tribe,  has  reduced  its  dialect  to  a  written  language. 

Some  of  the  tribes  found  on  or  near  the  coast  are  known  as  Foolahs, 
Mandingo,  Soosoo,  Limbah,  Timneh,  Sherbro,  Mendi,  Lok-Koh,  Vey,  Bassa 
Kro,  Aku,  Ebo,  etc.  In  treating  this  subject  I  shall  speak  almost  wholly  of 
the  Sherbro  people  and  the  neighboring  tribes,  Mendi  and  Timneh. 

§  II.   LOVE  OF  COUNTRY  AND  COUNTRYMEN. 

It  was  my  fortune  to  be  born  in  Africa,  of  African  parentage.  I  am 
identified  with  the  Sherbro  people,  although  my  father  belongs  to  another 
tribe.  I  share  with  my  people  the  humiliating  thought  of  our  benighted 
condition.  And,  painful  as  it  is  to  speak  of  my  heathen  brethren  and  their 
condition,  yet,  if  I  can  by  this  arouse  you  to  give  expression  to  your  sym- 
pathy, or  in  any  way  tend  to  hasten  the  glad  day  of  gospel  light,  I  shall 
cheerfully  undergo  its  mortification. 

I  am  aware  that  any  attempt  to  present  a  picture  of  heathen  life  must 
fall  far  short  of  the  reality.  Especially  is  it  a  condition  difficult  for  you  to 
imagine,  surrounded  as  you  are  by  comforts  and  the  blessings  of  life,  and 
with  the  influences  of  a  Bible  Christianity. 

§  III,      WORK   OF   UNITED.  BRETHREN. 

The  church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  has  its  mission  in  the  terri- 
tory of  the  Sherbro  people  of  the  west  coast.  Sherbro  proper  is  an  extensive 
country.  It  lies  immediately  below  Sierra  Leone,  and  north  of  Liberia, 
about  6°  to  8°  north  of  the  equator,  and  includes  what  are  known  as  the 
Ribbee,    Bompeh,  Plantain   and  Cockborough,  Bargroo,  Impereh,  Jong, 


9 

Boom,  and  Kittim  territories.  Tlie  dialects  of  the  country  are  Sherbro,  but 
the  dialects  of  neighboring  tribes,  Mendi  and  Timneh,  and  few  others,  are 
.extensively  spoken. 

The  country  is  thickly  populated.  The  inhabitants  live  in  towns  and 
villages,  the  larger  and  greater  number  of  towns  being  found  away  from 
the  coast.  Each  town  has  its  headman  or  chief,  while  each  district  and 
territory  has  its  chieftain.  This  crowding  of  the  people  into  towns  is  for 
protection.  Here  they  sleep  and  have  their  homes.  During  the  farming 
season  those  who  do  farm-work  go  out  and  work  during  the  day,  but  return 
to  the  town  at  night.  Those  whose  farm-work  carries  them  a  great  distance 
often  build  temporary  sheds,  and  there  stay  a  part  of  the  time,  or  during 
the  entire  farm  season.  The  houses,  as  a  rule,  are  closely  built  together. 
This  is  especially  so  in  large  towns  that  must  be  fortified  during  a  time 
of  war. 

The  construction  of  a  native  house  is  very  simple.  The  tools  required 
are  an  ax  and  matchet,  or  cutlass.  These  are  to  be  used  for  cutting  posts, 
rafters,  ropes,  bamboo  or  palm  branches,  or  grass  for  covering  the  house. 
A  hoe  must  be  added,  with  which  to  dig  the  clay.  The  posts  are  set  in 
holes  in  the  ground,  and  so  cut  or  forked  at  the  top  as  to  support  the  beams 
laid  across.  These  are  secured  with  ropes,  the  rafters  are  thrown  up  so  as 
to  meet  around  a  central  post  at  the  top,  thus  making  an  acute  angle,  if  the 
house  is  a  round  one,  or  they  rest  upon  a  cross-bar  if  it  is  rectangular  in 
form.  The  rafters  are  lathed  and  covered  with  palm  branches  or  grass,  or 
with  a  kind  of  shingles  made  of  bamboo  leaves  pinned  together.  Between 
the  posts  are  inserted  small  sticks;  this  is  a  peculiar  process  of  lathing. 
The  body  of  the  building  is  then  ready  for  the  clay,  which  is  applied  ex- 
ternally as  well  as  internally.  A  house  like  this,  if  cared  for,  the  roof  kept 
in  order,  may  stand  ten  or  fifteen  years,  indeed  would  last  longer,  if  it  was 
not  for  the  white  ants  that  eat  the  wooden  portion  of  the  building.  Some 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Sherbro  islamd  enclose  the  sides  of  their  huts  with 
mats  made  of  bamboo  reeds. 

A  wall  several  feet  high,  or  palisades  three  to  four  in  number,  serves  as  a 
fortification.  Sentinels  keep  close  watch  through  the  night.  This  precau- 
tion is  necessary,  for  the  war-boys  in  this  part  of  the  coast  seldom  attack 
during  the  day,  nor  do  they  meet  as  regularly-organized  armies  in  open 
field  to  battle. 


10 

You  will  understand  from  this  statement  that  wars  are  of  frequent  occur- 
rence between  the  tribes.  The  stronger  and  more  restless  ones  will  attack 
the  weaker,  and  these  wars  are  not  so  much  to  avenge  wrongs  as  for  the 
purpose  of  plunder.  The  prisoners  of  war  may  be  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, who  are  afterward  retained  as  slaves,  or  sold,  and,  in  the  case  of 
the  women,  sometimes  forced  to  become  the  wives  of  their  captors. 

In  a  visit  made  into  the  Mendi  country,  I  saw  the  remains  of  a  peculiar 
prison  that  had  been  occasionally  used  for  captives  taken  in  war.  It  had 
been  the  property  of  a  noted  warrior,  who,  because  of  his  many  successes 
in  his  campaigns,  was  said  to  have  help  from  his  "  devil."  The  prison  was 
an  immense  hollow  tree,  with  an  aperture  a  number  of  feet  from  the  ground, 
reached  by  a  ladder.  Prisoners  destined  to  a  sacrifice  to  this  devil  were 
cast  into  this  tree  and  left  to  starve  to  death.  "The  dark  places  of  the 
earth  are  filled  with  the  habitations  of  cruelty." 

^  IV.      LAWS   AND   GOVERNMENT. 

An  important  point  of  interest  in  each  town  is  the  chief's  barra,  a  build- 
ing different  from  the  rest  and  generally  larger,  having  a  roof,  but  open  on 
all  sides.  In  this  barra  the  chief  and  his  advisers,  or  elders,  of  the  town 
are  found.  This  is  the  first  point  visited  by  the  stranger  when  he  comes  to 
a  town;  for  he  must  make  his  presence  known  to  the  chief,  and  "shake 
his  hands,"  before  he  can  find  a  resting-place.  Here  public  councils  are 
held,  cases  of  dispute  argued;  for,  while  there  are  no  written  laws  regu- 
lating the  conduct  of  citizens,  the  rights  of  men  are  regarded,  and  the  people 
controlled  by  customs  and  laws  that  have  been  handed  down  by  the  fathers. 
Very  seldom  do  we  hear  of  murders  among  native  Sherbros,  and  such 
scenes  as  you  read  about  in  your  daily  journals,  that  are  so  common  here, 
are  unusual.  The  slightest  as  well  as  the  gravest  offenses  are  carried  be- 
fore the  chief,  and  there  argued  ;  if  necessary,  lawyers  plead,  and  some  of 
them  are  eloquent.  The  matter  is  then  decided  by  the  chief,  if  alone, 
or  by  himseli  and  council.  This  decision  is,  as  a  rule,  final.  Occasional 
laws  are  proclaimed  by  the  Purrow,  the  chief  secret-society  of  the  country. 
Such  laws  are  general.  Cases  of  theft  are  decided  in  various  ways. 
Murders,  when  they  occur  at  all,  are  settled  by  taking  the  life  of  the 
murderer,  or  he  may  be  given  up  to  the  friends  of  the  murdered  person, 
who  may  do  with  him  as  they  think  best, —  kill  him  or  sell  him  and  his 


11 

family  as  slaves.  The  question  has  been  asked  me  many  times,  "Is  it 
your  opinion  that  the  heathen  will  meet  a  future  punishment?"  Possibly 
not,  because  of  the  mere  fact  of  their  being  heathens.  Yet  we  must  first 
decide  whether  heathen  nations  do  not  have  some  standard  by  which  they 
know  this  or  that  to  be  right  or  wrong ;  and  if  so,  whether  they  live  up  to 
their  own  standard,  for  by  that  we  must  judge  them.  The  Bible  answer 
to  the  question  is  given  in  Romans,  2:  14.  "When  the  Gentiles  which 
have  not  the  law  do  by  nature  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  these  hav- 
ing not  the  law  are  a  law  unto  themselves;  which  shew  the  law  written  in 
their  hearts  (or,  the  work  of  the  law  in  their  hearts),  their  consciences 
also  bearing  witness,  and  their  thoughts,  the  meanwhile,  accusing  or  else 
excusing  one  another." 

\  V.      HUSBANDS   AND   WIVES. 

I  would  not  have  you  infer  that  we  catch  all  our  wives  in  war.  Each  man 
may  engage  his  wife  according  to  the  country  fashion.  This  is  done  as 
follows :  Friends  of  the  man  wishing  a  wife  visit  the  home  of  the  parents  or 
relatives  of  the  girl  to  be  engaged  ;  the  "  wine-money  "  or  present  is  paid  for 
the  girl.  Here  customs  vary  with  tribes,  and  even  with  families.  Some 
are  particular  as  to  the  person  making  the  application,  a  few  ask  the  girl's 
consent,  but,  as  a  rule,  the  decision  of  parents  is  final.  We  pay  much  at- 
tention to,  and  regard  as  binding  upon  us  what  our  parents  say.  Occa- 
sionally girls  are  engaged  quite  young,  but  do  not  go  to  their  husbands  for 
years  after. 

Polygamy  is  a  custom  of  the  country,  and  it  is  a  common  occurrence  for 
men  to  have  any  number  of  wives,  from  one  up.  I  have  known  men  who 
had  over  one  hundred  wives.  But  you  must  take  into  consideration  the 
fact  that  the  African  does  not  look  upon  this  thing  as  a  crime  or  sin;  ta 
him  it  is  the  custom  received  from  his  ancestors,  and  his  social  standing  or 
influence  is  enhanced  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  slaves  and  wives  he 
has.  The  women,  on  the  other  hand,  often  regard  it  a  matter  whereof  to 
be  proud  to  be  called  the  "king's  wives,"  or  the  wives  of  a  "big  man." 
Neither  regard  it  as  a  crime  against  society,  nor  do  they  see  that  true 
love  can  not  exist  under  the  system  of  polygamy,  nor  can  fathers  have  that 
natural  affection  for  their  children  ;  that  by  it  womanhood  is  debased, 
jealousies  incited,  not  only  among  the  women,  but  children  of  the  same 


.12 

father  and  different  mothers,  and  that  unfaithfulness  must  be  a  necessary 
outgrowth.  I  can  say,  however,  that  most  of  the  young  ladies  who  have 
come  under  Christian  influence  have  refused  to  accept  polygamous  engage- 
ments; some  have,  however,  been  forced  by  their  own  parents  to  submit. 

The  lot  of  woman  is  everywhere  a  hard  one,  till  that  condition  is  amelio- 
rated by  the  influences  of  a  pure  Christianity.  In  Africa  her  condition  is 
no  exception  ;  indeed,  if  anything,  it  is  worse.  She  is  married  not  because 
she  is  considered  the  equal  and  fit  companion  for  her  husband,  but  to 
serve  his  pleasure;  and  if  in  return  for  this  service  she  should  receive  the 
most  unkind  treatment,  she  has  no  redress. 

I  once  saw  a  women  who  had  a  rope  around  her  neck,  her  hands  tied 
behind  her  back,  the  other  end  of  the  rope  in  the  hands  of  a  man  who  was 
beating  her.  I  supposed  first  that  she  was  a  slave.  When  I  remonstrated 
with  him  for  this  brutal  conduct  upon  the  highway,  he  said  it  was  all  right ; 
she  was  his  wife,  had  run  away,  and  now  that  he  had  got  her  back  he 
would  "  learn  her  sense."  I  have  heard  and  read  of  men  in  your  civilized 
country  who  undertook  to  teach  their  wives  sense  by  beating  them ;  thejlaw 
took  the  matter  in  hand,  and  in  turn  taught  them  sense.  But  in  the  case 
referred  to,  the  chief  of  the  town  had  given  permission. 

Ladies  of  America,  let  me  make  an  appeal  to  your  sympathy  for  the 
women  of  my  country,  many  of  whom  from  the  nature  of  things  are  my 
own  relatives  ;  for  you  can  help  them  if  you  will.  "  What  can  you  do  ?  " 
Send  to  them,  to  their  country,  the  Gospel;  it  is  the  balm  for  every  woe. 
Educate  them ;  elevate  the  young  people,  the  girls,  who  are  to  become  the 
mothers  of  the  future  ;  give  them  such  a  training  as  will  make  them  intelli- 
gent, virtuous  and  industrious  wives  and  mothers ;  educate  for  them  the 
boys  who  are  to  become  their  husbands — make  them  Christian  men,  fit 
companions  for  their  wives. 

Our  ladies  in  Africa  are  intelligent  and  industrious.  In  cases  where 
they  are  rulers  of  towns  and  country,  they  have  shown  skill  and  tact  equal 
to  most  men  and  superior  to  many. 

I  VI.      HOMES. 

The  homes  of  our  people  are  the  rudely  constructed  huts  previously  de- 
scribed, with  little  or  no  furniture.  But  our  more  civilized  natives  display 
good  taste  in  building  and  making  their  homes  comfortable  and  attractive. 
Indeed,  some  have  built  splendid  residences. 


13 

The  principal  article  of  food  is  rice.  Cassava,  sweet-potatoes,  yams,, 
cocoa,  etc.,  are  cultivated  to  some  extent ;  also  tropical  fruits,  as  oranges, 
bananas,  pine-apples,  mangoes,  guavas,  and  many  more.  Our  ''bill  of 
fare"  is  not  extensive,  nor  does  it  call  for  many  cooking  utensils  or  dishes. 
We  use  no  stoves  as  a  rule,  but  our  cooking  is  done  in  open  fire-places, 
while  the  pot  or  sauce-pan  rests  upon  three  stones  or  supports.  For  fuel 
we  use  wood. 

To  prepare  a  first-class  meal  you  want  rice,  fish  or  chicken,  palm-oil, 
salt,  onions  or  yarbas,  and  pepper ;  the  latter  is  indispensable.  The  rice 
as  it  comes  from  the  farm  must  first  be  carefully  hulled.  This  is  done  in  a 
wooden  mortar,  and  the  rice  pounded  with  a  stick  or  wooden  pestle.  This 
is  done  by  women  and  children.  It  is  then  boiled  in  sauce-pans  or  pots  as 
only  African  women  can  prepare  rice.  The  stew  may  consist  of  chickens, 
fish,  or  anything  that  may  come  within  the  range  of  one's  taste.  Sometimes 
the  meat  is  made  into  palaver  sauce, —  a  dish  that  must  be  tasted  to  know 
what  it  is.  If  my  commendation  is  worth  anything,  I  can  vouch  for  its 
palatableness.  This  or  the  stew  is  prepared  in  a  separate  vessel.  The  rice 
is  then  served,  generally  rice  and  stew  served  in  one  dish,  sometimes  sep- 
arately. I  must  say  our  African  ladies  excel  in  the  preparation  of  a  rice 
meal.  One  or  more  persons  eat  out  of  a  dish  or  bowl.  Instead  of  the  slow 
process  of  eating  with  a  knife  and  fork,  we  prefer  to  use  that  instrument 
that  was  given  us  for  the  purpose,—  the  hand.  The  foofoo  is  a  preparatioa 
from  the  cassava,  and  is  eaten  with  palaver  sauce,  but  is  one  of  those 
things  that  are  really  pleasant  to  taste,  but  hard  to  describe.  The  best  thing 
about  a  native  meal  is  that  it  costs  so  little.  In  an  ordinary-sized  family, 
such  a  meal  as  I  have  described  may  cost  from  two  to  five  cents  per  in- 
dividual. It  is  possible  to  live  in  Freetown  for  five  to  ten  cents  a  day.  You 
must  understand  that  we  can  be  extravagant,  sometimes,  with  food,  as  you 
are  in  this  country.  The  more  wealthy  ones  and  people  of  Freetown,  who 
have  acquired  different  tastes,  often  have  a  bill  of  fare  something  like  yours. 
At  any  rate,  they  know  how  to  prepare  them,  as  our  wedding-feasts  at 
Shaingay  and  other  places  have  proven. 

§  VII.      HOSPITALITY. 

No  people  show  greater  hospitality  to  strangers  than  do  Africans.  The 
first  act  of  hospitality  is  to  give  the  stranger  water  in  which  to  bathe.. 
Native-made  cloth  must  be  provided,  even  though  he  may  have  brought 


14 

his  own.  Food  is  supplied  him  as  long  as  he  continues  a  guest.  But  to 
secure  this  attention  and  good  will,  it  is  necessary  to  comply  with  the 
custom  of  "shaking  the  chief's  hand,"  which  is  required  of  strangers, 
both  Africans  and  foreigners. 

During  my  stay  in  Africa  I  made  several  trips,  visiting  very  many  towns 
within  reach  from  all  our  principal  stations,  twice  going  beyond  the  Sherbro 
territories.  The  first  trip  was  made  in  i86i,  to  the  Yawnie  territory;  the 
second  to  the  Mendi  country,  during  January,  1885;  the  expense  attending 
both  being  borne  by  myself.  As  the  Mendis  and  Yawnies  are  regarded  as 
the  most  restless  and  warlike  of  the  tribes  of  our  part  of  Africa,  I  shall  here 
give  examples  of  their  conduct  toward  strangers.  I  had  formed  the  ac- 
quaintance of  a  chieftain  of  the  Mendi  country,  who  gave  me  a  hearty 
invitation  to  visit  him,  saying,  also,  that  his  chief,  the  late  Carjoe,  of  that 
territory,  would  be  pleased  to  see  me,  as  they  had  already  heard  about  me. 
On  reaching  the  country,  I  repaired  to  the  residence  of  my  friend,  the 
sub-chief,  who  at  once  informed  Carjoe  of  my  arrival.  To  honor  the 
stranger,  the  chief  called  to  see  me.  We  "shook  hands  "  formally,  I  giv- 
ing several  yards  of  goods,  which  he  accepted  thankfully,  but  declined 
hearing  anything  I  had  to  say  as  to  my  business  till  he  should  give  tokens 
of  welcome.  Said  he:  "I  can't  talk  business  with  a  hungry  stranger,  hence 
I  must  first  look  for  something  for  you  to  eat."  So  I  was  left  in  the  care  of 
his  sub-chief,  who,  for  our  entertainment  in  a  small  way  till  the  return  of 
the  chief,  provided  a  goat  and  basket  of  rice  already  hulled.  Two  days 
afterward  the  chief  came  in  state,  attended  by  a  retinue  of  women  and  men, 
the  former  his  wives  (for  he  had  about  two  hundred).  One  woman  carried 
his  ^un  on  her  shoulder,  another  carried  his  sword,  a  third  his  shot-pouch, 
a  fourth  his  parasol,  while  a  male-servant,  whose  place  was  to  sit  at  the 
chief's  feet,  carried  a  bunch  of  keys.  Several  others  carried  baskets  of 
rice,  two  pieces  of  cloth  of  native  manufacture,  and  a  large  sheep.  "This 
small  (?)  quantity  of  rice,"  he  said,  "will  enable  you  to  get  strength  after 
your  long  journey.  And  the  sheep  you  may  roast,  instead  of  a  chicken, 
till  I  can  get  you  something  better."  When  I  left  him  some  days  later, — 
rather  too  soon  to  get  the  "cow"  that  was  to  have  been  killed  for  my 
entertainment, —  he  gave  six  country-made  cloths  to  be  used  for  my  comfort 
during  the  return  home.  I  wish  to  say  here  that  Carjoe  wielded  a  strong 
power  in  that  country.     There  are  nine  large  towns,  built  closely  together, 


15 

each  having  its  fortifications,  and  except  the  one  in  which  the  chief  him- 
self lives,  governed  by  a  sub -chief.  These  towns  have  thousands  of 
human  beings  living  without  a  certain  knowledge  of  God.  They  are 
capable  of  a  most  rapid  development,  and  should  have  the  gospel. 

From  the  incidents  already  cited,  you  may  see  how  large-hearted  our 
heathen  brethren  are.  Even  our  wildest  war  boys  are  not  lost  to  feelings 
for  the  comfort  of  the  stranger. 

While  I  was  at  Rotufunk  in  the  year  i88i,  we  learned  that  the  Yawnies 
were  threatening  the  Bompeh  people,  particularly  those  at  Rotufunk,  for 
allowing  missionaries  to  settle  there.  Whether  the  reasons  given  were  the 
real  cause  for  the  emnity,  I  am  unable  to  say.  But  one  thing  was  certain, 
the  Mohammedans,  who  had  made  Rotufunk  a  slave  depot,  fearing  that 
the  slave  trade  would  in  time  be  seriously  affected,  did  not  lose  their 
opportunity  to  stir  up  enemies.  I  decided  to  go  up  to  that  country  and  in 
some  way  have  the  people  become  acquainted  with  us,  and  the  real  object 
of  missionary  enterprises.  I  took  an  interpreter  (for  I  could  not  speak  the 
Timinee,)  and  a  few  school -boys,  A  band  of  warriors  from  that  region 
who  had  come  down  to  trade,  learning  of  my  proposed  visit  to  their 
country,  offered  to  act  as  escorts.  A  previous  acquaintance  with  the 
"Yawnie  boys"  did  not  inspire  me  with  the  tenderest  feelings  toward 
them.  It  was  as  follows:  we  were  conducting  a  Sabbath  -evening  service 
in  a  barra,  and  had  commenced  singing,  when  I  heard  a  band  of  singers 
(attracted,  I  suppose,  by  our  singing,)  coming  toward  our  meeting -place. 
I  rather  congratulated  myself  that  our  stranger  friends,  to  whom  we  had 
extended  a  most  cordial  invitation  that  evening,  would  be  among  my 
listeners ;  and  though  they  were  coming  with  much  noise,  I  thought  we 
could  stop  it  when  they  entered  the  barra.  Imagine  our  feeling  and  the 
confusion  when,  instead  of  taking  seats,  one  of  them,  a  leader,  unsheathed 
his  sword  and  brandished  it  as  if  determined  upon  "business."  They  did 
not  tarry  long,  but  kept  on  singing  their  war  song  till  they  passed  out  of 
the  barra  through  another  opening.  They  were  Yawnies  I  afterward 
learned,  made  drunk  with  the  "white  man's  rum." 

You  can  appreciate  my  feelings  when  these  warriors  from  the  same 
country  insisted  that  they  must  accompany  me  as  escorts  to  their  chief. 
I  reluctantly  consented.  We  had  gone  but  a  short  distance  when  some 
one  proposed]  that  the  "white  man"   (meaning  civilized  or  a  man  who 


16 

speaks  English)  be  borne  in  a  hammock.  Of  course,  I  declined  and 
walked.  We  decided  to  spend  the  night  in  a  small  village  near  the  boun- 
dary line  of  the  Bompeh  and  Yawnie  territories.  On  reaching  the  town 
a  hut  was  assigned  me,  and  almost  immediately  after  I  heard  our  warriors 
singing  a  war  song  and  marching  about  the  village.  Soon  two  of  them 
brought  a  chicken,  "This,"  they  said,  "is  for  our  stranger;  he  is  the 
guest  of  our  Chief  Pah  Senna,  and  we  mean  to  take  good  care  of  him,  for 
the  chief  will  call  us  in  question  for  any  lack  of  attention.  We  are  not  in 
our  territory  yet,  but  if  you  should  see  anything,  even  a  cow,  and  should 
want  it  you  have  only  to  tell  us  and  we  will  get  it  for  you."  The  boys 
who  were  with  me  had  another  chicken  given  them.  Dinner  was  prepared, 
and  after  thanks  to  Him  from  whom  all  blessings  flow  (I  felt  it  was  from 
Him,  tho'  the  devil  brought  it,)  I  began  to  devour  my  chicken  with  all  the 
zeal  of  a  hungry  man,  I  had  been  at  this  task  some  little  time  when  I 
heard  a  noise  in  the  town,  and  a  few  moments  after  one  of  our  boys  came 
running,  "Please  sir,  we  done  got  in  trouble.  They  are  making  a  'rowl» 
about  the  chickens."  I  never  could  tell  afterward  why  I  did  not  leave  my 
food  and  go  settle  the  "rowl."  But  I  didn't  till  I  finished  my  meal,  and 
before  I  went  out  the  matter  had  been  settled  by  the  warriors  who  told  the 
people  about  their  distinguished  stranger,  and  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the 
people  of  the  town  to  entertain  him,  but  as  they  did  not  meet  them  in  the 
town  they  had  undertaken  that  duty  for  them.  This  explanation  seemed 
reasonable,  and  so  the  matter  ended.  I  assure  you,  after  this  chicken 
"rowl"  I  never  mentioned  "cow"  to  them,  although  I  saw  several,  for 
I  was  certain  they  would  get  it,  even  if  somebody  had  to  suffer  for  it. 
The  utmost  attention  was  given  us,  and  entertainment  provided  for  by 
their  savage  chief.  At  the  end  of  seven  days  I  left  them,  no  one  asking 
pay  for  house  or  food  that  had  been  provided  during  my  journey  and  stay 
among  them, 

I  VIII.      AFRICAN   CHILDREN. 

Boys  and  girls,  I  must  tell  you  something  about  the  Sherbro  children,  to 
whom  you  have  sent  missionaries.  When  a  boy  or  girl  is  born,  papa  and 
mamma  don't  have  to  go  through  a  long  catalogue  of  grand-fathers  and 
grand-mothers  or  uncles  and  aunts  for  generations  to  find  a  suitable  name,, 
for  our  little  fellows  come  into  the  world  with  their  names.    The  first  son  of 


17 

every  female  is  called  Cho;  the  second  Thong,  and  names  for  any  number 
of  boys.  The  first  girl  Boye ;  the  second,  Yeymah,  etc.  From  this  very 
handy  arrangement  some  of  you  boys  are  either  Chos,  Thongs,  Saus,  or 
Barkys,  and  some  girls  Boyes  or  Yeymahs.  Sometimes  we  have  a  good 
many  Chos  in  the  same  family,  or  Boyes,  because  they  may  be  children  cf 
one  father  but  different  mothers.  In  that  case  something  must  be  added 
when  they  have  to  distinguish  between  them  ;  more  frequently  the  mother's 
name  is  added.  The  writer's  name,  according  to  this  arrangement,  is  Sau; 
you  can  easily  pronounce  it,  for  it  is  like  "Saul"  with  the  "1"  dropped 
off.  Now  there  are  a  good  many  cousins  who  may  have  the  name  Sati ; 
to  distinguish  mine  when  I  used  to  visit  my  relatives,  I  would  be  called 
Sau-Coyah,  Coyah  being  my  mother's  country  name. 

In  most  cases  before  our  children  are  fully  grown,  they  enter  or  are 
forced  to  become  members  of  some  one  of  the  native  secret  organizations, 
where  they  lose  their  former  names  and  receive  new  ones.  Cho  or  Thong 
may  become  Bangang,  Beah,  or  something  else ;  and  Boye  or  Yeyjnah 
may  be  Sateah  or  Yaing  Kam. 

Instead  of  being  rocked  in  cradles,  the  little  child  is  carried  about  upon 
its  mother's  back,  to  which  it  is  bound  with  a  cloth.  From  the  quiet  it 
restores  to  a  restless  child,  you  may  believe  the  little  one  finds  no  bed  as 
easy  as  its  living  cradle. 

Though  there  are  no  schools,  except  such  as  are  opened  by  missionaries, 
our  children  have  many  ways  of  spending  their  time.  You  are  not  the 
only  children  in  the  world  who  play  "hide  and  seek,"  or  who  jump  ropes, 
climb  trees,  make  traps  for  birds,  catch  fish,  go  fruit  hunting  and  swim- 
ming, for  children  the  world  over  are  the  same  as  to  the  various  ways  by 
which  they  enjoy  themselves. 

They  are  as  happy  a  set  of  children  as  you  can  find  anywhere,  for 
although  they  have  not  fine  things  and  beautiful  homes,  and  though  most 
of  them  sleep  on  mats  spread  upon  the  floor,  they  are  perhaps  more  con- 
tented than  some  of  you  are,  except  when  the  drivers  or  traveling  ants  get 
into  their  homes  and  they  have  to  get  up  and  leave  the  house  to  them,  then 
they  are  not  happy  ;  for  nobody  likes  to  be  forced  out  of  bed  at  midnight 
and  be  even  driven  out  of  home,  because  somebody  with  more  fight  in 
him,  or  more  numerous,  wants  possession. 

2 


18 

As  they  grow  stronger,  they  must  help  to  hull  the  rice,  carry  water  for 
home  use,*  get  wood,  and  during  the  "  bird  driving"  season  help  to  keep 
the  birds  from  eating  or  destroying  the  rice.  They  never  grow  too  old  to 
obey  their  parents ;  indeed,  not  only  their  own  parents,  but  older  persons 
in  general.  Some  of  you  stop  at  twenty-one;  we  are  never  free  from  the 
obligations  that  rest  upon  us.  Father  and  mother  have  the  same  claim 
and  right  to  command  at  our  age  of  fifty  as  they  had  when  we  were  little 
children. 

Evenings  are  spent  in  various  ways — in  songs  and  dance,  with  or  without 
drums  or  rattling  gourds ;  or  somebody,  famed  for  telling  stories  or  fables 
about  big  devil,  wonderful  people,  intelligent  animals,  etc.,  entertains  them 
by  these  fables,  interspersed  with  solos  and  choruses,  in  which  young  and 
old  participate.  I  can  remember  how  I  used  to  take  in  these  horrible 
stories,  which  were  of  such  extreme  interest,  that  we  would  afterward 
be^o  affected  by  them  that  for  days  we  trembled  in  the  darkness,  and 
avoided  the  loneliest  places. 

In  places  where  war  is  considered  a  profession,  our  boys  learn  early  to 
wield  the  sword,  or  whatever  the  principal  arms  may  be.  Our  Sherbro 
children  have  not  much  of  that  to  do. 

In  a  few  places  day  and  Sabbath  schools  have  been  opened,  and  the 
children  have  made  /apid  progress,  both  in  school -work  and  in  the 
acquisition  of  the  English.  Not  all  the  children  of  the  towns  attend 
school.  Some  are  slaves,  and  others  can't  come  because  they  have  noth- 
ing to  wear.  In  some  of  our  stations  we  are  often  obliged  to  go  to  the 
Tiearest  village  to  get  the  children  for  the  Sabbath-school.  In  this  work 
our  school-boys  have  rendered  good  service,  in  bringing  to  us  quite  a 
number  of  children.  The  naked  ones  have  gowns  put  on  them,  which 
are  taken  off  when  school  is  over.  You  see,  we  are  obliged,  in  many 
cases,  to  clothe  children  when  they  come  to  our  schools,  for  heathen 
children  do  not  wear  clothes  until  they  are  grown  to  a  good  size. 

Many  of  our  children,  some  very  young,  have  become  Christians,  and 
most  of  them  are  members  of  the  seekers'  classes.  That  some  of  them 
have  taken  a  Christian  stand  in  advance  of  their  parents  maybe  seen  from 
the  following :  Madeline,  a  girl  of  our  mission  and  some  time  ago  a  member 

»In  our  heathen  towns  wells  are  not  common,  but  the  water  for  drinking  and  cooking 
purposes  is  olotained  from  springs  or  streams  near  which  the  town  is  located.  The  water 
js  carried  in  kettles  or  vessels  of  wood  or  clay. 


19 

of  the  seekers'  class,  was,  a  few  months  ago,  with  others,  baptized.  A  few 
days  after,  the  father  came  to  the  mission  in  quite  a  rage,  and  accosting 
Brother  Gomer,  asked:  "You  done  make  my  picken  drink  God-water?' 
"I  baptized  Madeline,"  was  the  reply.  Again  he  asked  angrily,  "How 
can  you  do  a  thing  like  that  when  I  born  the  gal,  and  she  has  already  drank 
country  medicine?"  To  this  and  much  more  Mr.  Gomer,  who  has  quite  a 
tact  in  dealing  with  natives,  listened  quietly,  and  finally  asked  the  enraged 
father:  "Are  you  done?"  "Yes."  "Then  who  has  the  girl  in  charge?" 
"You  got  um,"  replied  he.  "Very  well,  then,"  said  Brother  G.;  "if  my 
medicine  passes  your  own,  it  must  do  good,  but  you  must  go  sit  down  first 
until  we  see."  The  father  went  away,  still  repeating:  "This  thing  you  do 
me  is  not  good." 

The  faithfulness  of  the  children,  as  well  as  the  advantage  of  taking  and 
educating  the  boys  and  girls  in  the  mission  family,  is  evident  from  the  fol- 
lowing: Bentoo,  or  Dorcas,  a  girl  who  had  been  with  Mrs.  Gomer  some 
years,  was  recently  sent  for  by  her  mother,  an  invalid,  who  earnestly  wished 
to  see  her  daughter  quickly,  because  she  (the  mother)  was  very  sick.  Mrs. 
Gomer  consented;  but  it  was  afterward  found  that  the  mother  wished  to 
give  her  as  wife  to  a  man  who  had  paid  something  for  the  girl  (without 
Dorcas's  knowledge).  Dorcas  refused,  saying  she  was  a  mission  girl.  The 
wife  of  the  man  pleaded  with  the  girl  to  consent  to  live  with  her  husband. 
The  man  got  ugly  and  threatened,  but  Dorcas  was  firm,  and  said,  "When 
I  am  ready  for  one,  I  will  marry  my  own  husband,"  whereupon  she  picked 
up  her  bundle  and  walked  all  the  way  to  the  mission. 

Mr.  Gomer,  writing  to  me  about  this  incident,  added:  "You  must  lay 
special  stress  upon  the  importance  of  training  up  the  mothers  of  the  country 
in  mission  families.  Some  say  because  girls  can't  work  on  a  farm  don't 
take  them  in  the  mission,  but  that  is  not  my  decision." 

I  IX.      ANIMALS,    INSECTS,    OYSTERS. 

I  might  tell  you  about  our  African  animals  and  insects,  for  there  are  many 
peculiarities  found  among  them.  You  would  think  it  funny  to  see  a  sheep 
without  wool,  and  just  so  our  children  would  think  your  sheep  strano-e-look- 
ing  creatures.  Then  you  never  saw  oysters  grow  on  trees,  but  such  sights 
are  common  to  our  children,  for  they  often  gather  lots  of  them  ;  yes,  real 
oysters.  But  I  haven't  time  to  explain  all  these  things,  and  yet  I  must  talk 
about  ants.     You  know  these  little  insects  are  found  in  almost  every  coun- 


20 

try,  because  Solomon,  the  wisest  man  of  Bible  history,  calls  the  attention 
of  lazy  folks  to  their  industry.  In  Africa,  where  we  have  different  species 
of  them,  I  have  seen  striking  examples  of  their  industry  and  perseverance. 
Such  hardships  and  discouragements  as  would  seem  to  overcome  us  don't 
at  all  daunt  their  courage  or  try  their  patience.  We  used  to  break  down 
their  buildings,  and  it  would  be  surprising  how  earnestly  and  steadily  they 
would  work  to  repair  the  damage  done  them.  In  warm  countries  they  are 
very  numerous,  and  of  different  species,  some  so  small  that  you  can  barely 
see  them  with  the  naked  eye,  and  others  may  be  larger,  even  three  fourths 
of  an  inch  in  length.  These  ants  are  all  peculiar.  The  Drivers,  that  travel 
in  bands,  and  visit  houses,  and  attack  men  and  animals,  would  surprise 
you  by  their  movements.  There  is  the  line  of  march,  where  perftc:  order 
is  observed;  then,  when  the  presence  of  an  enemy  is  suspected,  the 
reconnoitering  force  is  ordered  out,  and  if  you  happen  to  be  the  suspected 
party,  you  are  soon  made  to  feel  that  you  must  either  fall  back  or  fight.  If 
you  insist  upon  it,  orders  are  sent  to  headquarters,  and  the  force  marshalled 
to  battle.  A  leopard  even  can't  stand  before  them.  Our  largest  animals 
fear  them.  Then,  too,  when  they  reach  a  house  or  place  where  they  have 
heard  they  may  find  food,  immediately  every  soldier  becomes  a  foraging 
party.  Roaches,  centipedes,  scorpions,  rats,  and  all  insects  begin  to  run 
for  life.  The  best  thing  you  can  do,  then,  is  to  leave  the  house  to  them, 
for  as  soon  as  they  get  what  they  want,  or  have  gone  through  to  see  what 
is  in  your  building,  the  line  of  march  is  again  formed,  and  off  they  go. 

The  most  wonderful  species  of  the  ant  is  the  white  ant  or  Termites.  We 
in  Africa  call  them  bug-a-bugs.  As  the  name  Termites  implies,  they  are 
very  destructive,  and  will  destroy  in  a  short  time  houses,  fences,  and 
everything  made  of  wood,  even  books  and  clothing,  if  they  can  get  to 
them.  They  must  be  watched  closely.  There  are  two  kinds  of  biig-a- 
bugs, —  a  small  and  a  large  one.  You  often  see  the  houses  of  the  small 
kind  rising  from  one  to  three  feet  in  height,  made  of  clay,  something  like 
a  column  with  a  conical  shaped  roof.  I  think  they  add  to  this  height 
every  year,  so  that  the  height  depends  upon  their  age.  These  are  the 
sacred  ants  that  are  worshiped  by  our  people,  because  they  believe  spirits 
exist  in  their  houses. 

The  larger  kind  are  more  numerous.  Their  houses  are  built  on  a  differ- 
ent plan,  being  wide  at  the  base  and  pointed  at  the  top,  sometimes  looking 


21 

very  much  like  the  pictures  you  see  of  the  pyramids.  They  are  good 
architects,  as  the  outside  is  adorned  with  dcmss  and  steeples  of  different 
sizes  and  shapes.  These  hills  or  buildings  run  up  as  high  as  twelve  to  . 
fifteen  feet.  The  interior  of  these  hills  is  wonderful  in  the  ingenious 
arrangement  of  halls  and  chambers,  and  passages  of  different  sizes  and 
every  imaginable  shape.  In  these  hills  you  meet  different  classes  of 
citizens.  First,  is  the  queen,  who,  when  full-grown  is  about  four  inches  in 
length  and  one  inch  in  diameter.  In  the  center  of  the  hill  is  a  winding 
passage  leading  to  her  apartments.  I  have  been  told  that  she  is  borne 
through  this  passage  into  different  parts  of  the  palace  during  different 
hours  of  the  day.  The  queen  herself  lives  in  a  small  mud  palace,  with 
scarcely  room  for  her  to  turn  in.  I  have  never  seen  any  door,  but  I 
have  noticed  small  holes  which  are  for  the  workers  who  wait  on  her 
majesty,  as  they  have  to  go  in  and  out  to  feed  her,  and  possibly  to  carry 
her  orders  to  different  parts  of  this  huge  dwelling.  If  a  queen  dies  or  is 
removed  the  colony  breaks  up.  Second,  are  the  soldiers,  one -half  or 
three -fourths  of  an  inch  long, — queer  looking  soldiers  with  large  heads, 
nearly  half  their  whole  length.  They  are  brave  and  fierce,  and  can  bring 
blood  every  time  they  bite.  I  have  fought  them  and  have  the  utmost 
respect  for  them.  Third,  are  the  workers,  who  build  and  repair  this  dwell- 
ing and  do  the  work  necessary.  They  are  about  one  -  fourth  to  one -half 
inch  long.  One  curious  thing  about  these  ants  and  one,  the  philosophy  of 
which  I  can  not  explain  now,  is  that  in  certain  seasons  they  come  out 
with  wings,  great  numbers  of  them,  and  fly  about  for  some  time,  then 
drop  their  wings  at  the  trunk  of  a  tree  or  stump. 

Did  I  say  oysters  grew  on  trees?  Well,  I  must  explain.  We  have  along 
the  sea  shore  vast  tracts  of  muddy  swamps,  covered  with  groves  of  Man- 
grove trees.  These  trees  are  peculiar  in  that  some  of  their  roots  come 
from  the  branches  at  the  top  and  grow  downward  till  they  reach  the 
ground.  Then  a  new  tree  makes  a  start.  Sometimes  these  roots  dip  into 
the  water  instead  of  in  the  mud,  and  on  these  limbs  Httle  oysters  fasten 
themselves  and  grow  ;  all  we  need  to  do  is  to  cut  off  a  limb  and  we  have  a 
thick  bunch  of  oysters.  Is  not  ours  a  peculiar  country  ?  There  are  ye^ 
other  wonderful  things,  but  I  have  not  time  to  mention  them. 

I  X.      FARMS. 

The  soil  for  the  most  part  is  productive,  capable  of  yielding  in  abun- 
dance rice,  cassava,  potatoes,  cocoa,  yams,  corn,  coffee,  cotton,  etc.,  yet 


22 

farming  is  done  to  a  limited  extent.  You  nowhere  see  beautifully  laid 
off  farms,  such  as  greet  the  eye  everywhere  throughout  your  extensive 
country.  The  greatest  portion  of  the  land  is  covered  with  a  dense  growth, 
with  extensive  forests  here  and  there.  A  new  place  is  chosen  and  cleaned 
off  each  year,  while  the  farm  of  the  present  season  must  be  left  to  grow 
again  into  brush  during  three  or  four  years  before  it  is  cleared  again  for 
planting. 

The  implements  used  are  a  matchet  or  cutlass,  ax  and  hoe ;  these  being 
small  and  rudely  made,  can  not  do  thorough  work.  It  is  no  wonder  that 
the  amount  of  food  products  realized  is  proportionately  inadequate  to  meet 
the  average  wants  of  the  inhabitants. 

To  become  an  independent  people,  Africans  must  first  learn  to  produce 
more  than  they  consume.  Hence  if  you  will  benefit  Africa,  and  bring 
about  those  conditions  necessary  to  make  a  people  prosperous,  train  our 
young  people  in  the  industrial  branches.  The  African  is  not  insensible  to 
personal  comforts,  and  when  properly  instructed  in  agricultural  and  indus- 
trial pursuits,  he  will  desire  to  live  as  a  converted  and  industrious  being; 
will  have  better  farms,  build  better  homes  (for  in  civilized  localities  splendid 
buildings  have  already  been  erected),  and  the  battle  will  then  have  been 
half  fought;  for  Christianity  can  thrive  better  and  take  deeper  root  in  a  soil 
so  prepared.  For  the  accomplishment  of  this  purpose,  better  implements 
must  be  introduced. 

It  has  been  said  of  Africans  that  "  they  are  too  lazy  to  work."  You  must 
qualify  this  statement  if  you  take  into  consideration  the  fact  that  a  heathen 
conditioti  is  one  that  spreads  about  it  an  influence  which  affects  the  whole 
being,  morally,  spiritually,  physically.  You  can  never  fully  estimate  the 
energetic  life  of  a  people  till  you  give  them  a  favorable  atmosphere. 
Christianize  Africa,  educate  her  sons  and  daughters;  in  other  words,  set  in 
motion  the  hidden  life;  then  (with  due  allowance  for  climatic  effects)  bring 
youi\verdict. 

One  traA'eling  through  the  country  sees  a  good  deal  of  idleness,  it  is 
true.  At  the  same  time  he  sees  most  of  the  inhabitants  at  some  employ- 
ment. Some  spin  cotton,  weave  cloth  with  looms  that  are  their  own  con- 
struction, make  mats,  baskets,  and  various  articles,  sometimes  displaying 
remarkable  taste  and  ingenuity ;  or  they  are  on  farms,  or  gathering  palm 
nuts,  extracting  the  oil,  or  breaking  palm  kernels  for  market.     We  must 


23 

not  forget  that  the  ship  loads  of  kernels,  oil,  and  other  products  sent  to 
Europe  every  month,  are  first  prepared  by  natives  and  brought  to  the 
merchant  for  sale;  sometimes  brought  in  hampers,  borne  upon  the  back 
of  natives,  who  come  from  towns  many  miles  in  the  interior. 

You  hear  sometimes  that  ''African  women  do  all  the  work  on  farms." 
The  inference  must  be  that  the  men  do  nothing.  Farm-work  may,  for 
convenience,  be  divided  into  three  stages.  First,  the  "  bush-cutting  "  stage, 
when  the  land  selected  must  be  cleared  of  its  dense  growth  and  large  trees. 
It  is  the  men  who  do  this  work.  With  thorns  and  vines,  sharp  blades  to 
wade  through,  often  cutting  into  the  skin,  this  may  be  considered  the  most 
trying  and  dangerous  stage  of  farm-work.  The  work  of  the  women  during 
this  stage  is  to  provide  and  prepare  food  for  the  men  in  the  "bush."  After 
the  land  has  been  burned  over,  and  while  the  men  are  getting  ready  the 
hoes  for  planting  rice,  the  women  plant  the  cassava.  Children  often  help 
in  this  work.  The  second,  or  "rice-planting"  stage,  is  shared  by  men  and 
women,  but  the  men  are  always  in  the  majority ;  the  women  found  among 
them  are  generally  slaves.  The  women,  after  this,  become  wholly  responsi 
ble  for  keeping  the  weeds  from  growing  among  the  rice,  till  harvest.  This 
is  tedious  work,  involving  much  exposure  to  severe  weather.  The  men,  at 
this  time,  are  employed  in  repairing  war-fences,  building  or  repairing  huts 
or  gathering  the  palm-nuts  from  the  trees.  Some  do  a  good  deal  of  fishing 
or  hunting,  or  the  time  is  idled  away.  The  third,  or  "rice-cutting"  stage, 
is  shared  by  all, —  men,  women,  and  children.  Neighbors  sometimes  lend 
help  to  each  other.  With  the  exception  of  the  tediousness  of  cutting  each 
stem  separately,  "rice-cutting"  is  the  most  pleasant  work  on  the  farm.  It 
means  "little  work  and  plenty  to  eat." 

§  XI.      RELIGIONS   AND   INSTITUTIONS. 

The  religions  are  pagan  and  Mohammedan.  The  pagan  has  an  idea  of 
God;  he  recognizes  a  supreme  power.  I  have  never  found  any  tribe  of 
people  who  have  not  so  much  as  an  idea  of  God.  The  Sherbro  man  speaks 
of  Him  as  Hobahtokeh,  the  Mendi  man  calls  him  Ngewoh,  or  Ngewoh  wah, 
terms  expressive  of  the  Great  One  above.  Being  the  essence  of  goodness 
itself,  and  not  disposed  to  harm  his  creatures,  the  pagan  does  not  realize 
any  necessity  to  worship  Him.  The  devil  is  supposed  to  possess  supreme 
power,  also,  and  is  concerned  with  the  affairs  of  men,  and  his  demands 
are  many,  (to  keep  him  at  peace  it  must  be  done)  sometimes  requiring 


24 

human  sacrifices.     These  must  be  given,  even  though  by  the  giving  of  them 

the  heart  be  made  to  bleed.     The  demon  is  capable  of  assuming  various 

forms,  either  of  men  or  animals;  and,  whether  derived  from  tradition  as 

connected  with  man's  primeval  history,  I  am  unable  to  say,  but  it  is  strange 

that  the  form  that  he  is  often  supposed  to  assume  is  that  of  a  serpent. 

The  spirits  of  the  dead  are  also  appeased  and  their  co-operation  secured 

by  preparing  food  for  them  or  offering  sacrifices  of  fowls  and  animals. 

This  does  not  suffice ;  charms  and  greegrees  are  procured  to  ward  off  evil 

or  sickness,  or  thwart  the  designs  of  enemies  and  witches.     Recognize  in 

this  effort,  ye  friends  of  humanity,  the  struggle  to  which  man  is  doomed, 

that  even  a  heathen  feels  the  presence  and  power  of  evil.     In  his  struggles 

an  inventive  mind  is  ever  pointing  out  so7ne  way  of  escape  ;  hence, 

"The  heathen,  in  his  blindness, 
Bows  down  to  wood  and  stone." 

From  this  labyrinthian  darkness,  who  can  escape  unless  directed  by  a 
power  more  than  human  ?  It  is  fearful  to  talk  about  the  salvation  of  the 
heathen  without  the  Gospel.  You  in  the  land  of  Gospel  light,  may  be 
lulled  to  sleep  under  the  sense  of  carnal  security,  not  so  with  us,  who 
are  in  darkness.  Our  condition  is  not  one  of  peace  and  safety,  but  of 
despair.  We  are  lost  in  a  maze  of  superstitious  notions.  We  have  tried 
the  rivers,  we  have  trusted  greegrees,  we  have  appealed  to  charms,  and 
have  worshipped  idols  and  devils.  All  have  failed  us  ;  we  have  no  peace, 
no  hope. 

The  pagan  occasionally  speaks  of  retribution  after  death.  Several  years 
ago,  a  warrior  of  an  interior  district,  who  had  become  noted  for  both  his 
exploits  and  deeds  of  extreme  cruelty,  died.  Many  fancied  they  saw 
smoke  or  mist  arise  from  the  grave,  and  attributed  this  to  the  fact  that 
the  wicked  warrior  was  being  punished  for  his  cruelties.  Again,  it  is  not 
unusual  to  hear  pagans  talk  of  a  "clean  road"  after  death.  But,  alas! 
these  are  thoughts  which  only  disquiet  a  soul,  but  afford  no  light  to  those 
who  "  sit  in  the  valley  and  shadow  of  death.'' 

The  Mohammedan  recognizes  only  "One  God,"  and  Mohammet  as  the 
true  prophet.  He  despises  the  pagan  because  of  his  idols,  and  yet  is 
himself  a  manufacturer  of  charms  or  greegrees  for  which  he  claims  super- 
natural power.  This  religion  wields  a  mighty  influence  in  many  parts  of 
Africa.     In  almost  every  town  may  be  found  one  or  more  Mohammedan 


25 

priests,  who  are  sometimes  looked  upon  as  doctors  and  respected  for  the 
power  that  they  claim  is  vested  in  them.  If  a  war  campaign  is  to  be  set 
in  motion  the  priest  must  be  employed  to  "  cook  the  war ;"  that,  is  to  insure 
the  safety  and  success  of  the  warriors,  cause  confusion  in  the  ranks  and 
councils  of  the  enemy  by  sending  a  curse  upon  them.  Warriors  have 
been  known  to  scale  barricades,  face  the  guns  of  the  enemy  (which  are 
not  always  in  a  condition  to  do  much  harm),  because  they  wore  about 
them  a  charm  especially  prepared  for  the  occasion.  If  their  lives  were 
lost  in  battle,  they  either  must  have  done  contrary  to  the  orders  given  with 
the  charms,  or  their  time  for  death  kad  come. 

This  sect  presents  numerical  strength,  having  representatives  in  almost 
every  tribe  of  Africa,  some  tribes  being  almost  wholly  Mohammedan  in 
faith  or  in  sentiment.  Where  strong  in  numbers  they  erect  mosques  and 
conduct  schools,  hence  most  of  their  priests  are  learned  in  the  Arabic 
language,  which  they  read  and  write  with  ease.  Among  them  are  found 
men  who  are  conscientious  in  all  they  do,  and  who  sometimes  denounce 
the  practices  of  their  unscrupulous  brethren.  The  greater  number  are 
polygamists,  slave  -  masters  and  traders,  and  dealers  in  charms  that  they 
for  the  most  part  know  do  not  contain  the  efficacious  influence  attributed 
to  them.  Feeling  their  superiority  in  point  of  letters  they  despise  manual 
labor  as  only  fit  for  women  and  slaves,  hence  they  do  no  work,  but  very 
many  travel  from  place  to  place  and  obtain  their  livelihood  by  trading 
{often  in  human  beings),  doctoring,  or  by  making  charms  or  gregrees. 
Sometimes  noted  Mohammedans  are  sent  for  from  distant  places  to  help 
ckieftains  who  believe  they  can  assist  them.  We  must  not  underestimate 
the  work  that  the  Church  must  do  to  overcome  this  influence,  yet  with  the 
dawn  of  light  and  truth  and  under  the  penetrating  rays  of  the  sun  of 
righteousness,  Mohammedanism  is  beginning  to  realize  that  its  sway  so 
long  held  is  disputed  by  no  mean  power.  Hence  the  complaints  and 
charges  often  alleged  against  the  Christian  missionary.  The  words  of  a 
Mohammedan  friend,  "You  done  spoil  the  people,"  or  words  of  similar 
import,  are  an  admission  which  only  a  sense  of  danger  to  their  principles 
has  forced  from  them.  The  distribution  or  sale  of  Bibles  and  Testaments 
ought  to  be  encouraged,  as  a  work  of  that  kind  may  lead  to  grand  results, 
for  most  of  our  Mohammedans  read  a  Bible  with  interest  even  if  only 
because  it  is  printed  in  Arabic,  a  language  to  them  sacred. 


26 

^  XII.      MOHAMMEDAN    DECEPTION. 

During  a  short  stay  at  an  inland  mission  I  was  one  evening  invited  to 
witness  a  peace  sacrifice.  The  Mohammedan  priest  who  proposed  the 
sacrifice  had  previously  intimated  to  the  chief  that  there  was  no  danger  of 
war  coming  to  the  town,  but  a  few  weeks  after  announced  that  "  the  books  " 
had  revealed  that  war  was  possible,  but  might  be  prevented  by  an  offering 
of  rice,  cassava,  fowls,  etc.,  each  village  under  the  chief's  influence  con- 
tributing. When  the  people  assembled  at  the  appointed  place  and  the 
articles  brought  were  placed  in  a  heap,  the  priest  having  charge  of  the 
ceremonies  uttered  a  few  sentences,  the  chief  and  people  with  hands 
stretched  over  the  heap  uttered  the  responses.  During  the  ceremony  I 
inquired  of  a  friend  who  stood  near  me,  "What  will  they  do  with  these 
offerings?"  "You  will  soon  see,  sir,"  was  the  reply.  Then  he  explained 
that  it  is  customary  for  the  people  at  a  given  signal  to  rush  upon  the 
offering.  "You  will  see  plenty  of  fun  for  big  and  little  people  all  tumble 
together,  as  everybody  must  try  to  get  something  of  this  sacrifice."  I  did 
not  see  this  kind  of  fun,  for  the  priest  announced  that  the  books  further 
revealed  that  only  Mahommedans  should  eat  this  offering.  This  was  a 
surprise  and  a  disappointment  to  the  people,  but  not  to  the  Mohammedans 
who  had  previous  knowledge  of  this  revelation,  (?)  for  one  immediately 
whispered  to  my  friend,  "  I  am  glad  for  this,  for  we  must  soon  starve  if  we 
no  been  do  this  thing." 

§  XIII.      SOCIETIES. 

Organized  societies  are  found  among  the  tribes  throughout  the  West 
coast.  Among  the  Sherbros  the  Purroh  is  the  most  formidable  institution. 
Its  laws  are  binding  upon  chieftains  and  people  alike.  Until  within  recent 
years,  the  appearance  of  the  Purroh  messenger  upon  a  scene  of  war  be- 
tween Sherbros,  was  to  cause  immediate  cessation  of  hostilities,  and  an 
amicable  settlement  of  difficulties.  This  Purroh  must  not  be  confounded 
with  the  various  Purrohs  (or  unions)  now  found  in  sections  of  the  country, 
for  these  are  organized  to  gain  specific  ends.  Boys  and  men  are  eligible 
to  membership,  and  are  sometimes  forced  into  it.  Their  meeting  place  is 
in  the  grove,  and  none  but  members  or  those  seeking  membership  can 
enter.  Women,  on  pain  of  death,  are  forbidden  to  so  much  as  look  upon 
or  pry  into  their  workings.  There  are  cases  when  one  woman  in  a  large 
district  is  admitted  ;  when  this  is  done,  it  is  for  a  special  purpose. 


27 

The  Boondoo  is  a  society  for  girls  and  women,  but  not  as  formidable  as 
the  Purroh,  nor  are  its  penalties  as  severe.  The  Yassay  holds  an  import- 
ant place.  The  Thomah  is  open  to  males  and  females.  There  are  other 
local  organizations.  The  most  of  these  societies,  like  the  Purroh,  meet  in 
groves,  where  none  but  members  are  permitted  to  enter.  It  is  not  my 
purpose  to  enlarge  upon  these  societies,  or  to  enter  into  their  internal 
workings,  for  I  have  never  entered  a  grove  during  their  session,  hence 
can  not  vouch  for  all  I  may  have  heard.  It  must  be  understood,  however, 
that  as  missionaries,  we  oppose  every  institution  of  a  heathen  origin, 
whose  workings  are  under  cover  of  darkness.  This  fact  is  known  to  those 
among  whom  we  labor.  I  am  sure,  too,  that  they  in  a  measure  respect  our 
views. 

A  member  of  the  Purroh  and  other  societies  was  sick  in  one  of  our 
towns,  and  was  expected  to  die.  He  had  refused  every  invitation  to  attend 
religious  services,  hence  at  his  death  he  could  only  look  to  his  societies 
for  his  last  comfort. 

One  day,  while  I  was  seated  in  a  veranda  of  our  mission  house,  I  was 
startled  by  the  sudden  appearance  of  a  man  dressed  in  a  garment  covered 
with  human  bones,  with  a  cap  of  human  skulls  on  his  head.  He  had 
learned  of  the  serious  illness  of  his  brother,  and  had  come  to  administer 
the  last  rites,  to  make  sure  of  his  burial,  so  that  his  bones  might  afterward 
be  exhumed  to  be  added  to  this  horrible  paraphernalia. 

\  XIV.      MISSIONARY    EFFORTS. 

It  would  be  both  profitable  and  interesting  to  trace  the  progress  of  the 
missionary  idea  as  a  work  of  God  through  the  Church,  Jewish  and 
Christian,  from  its  earliest  establishment.  But  we  must  concede  that  the 
missionary  spirit  found  a  new  life  and  impulse  in  the  command  of  Christ, 
the  great  head  of  the  Church:  "Go  ye  therefore  and  teach  all  nations;" 
that  is,  make  disciples,  or  Christians,  of  them.  This  command  made  in 
Galilee  to  a  few  chosen  ones,  resounded  through  every  valley  and  along 
every  hillside  of  Judea,  till  the  inhabitants,  awakened  to  the  truth  that 
"God  is  no  respecter  of  persons,"  went  forth  to  "teach  the  nations.  " 

This  command  set  free  Jewish  minds  from  the  restraints  of  national 
prejudice,  and  forced  them  beyond  their  own  domains,  even  across  the 
sea,  with  the  commission  of  their  Lord.  The  nations  heard  the  Gospel, 
and,  arrested  in  their  career,  turned  from  their  scenes  of  carnage  and  de- 


^8 

struction  to  obey  the  mandate  of  heaven's  king.  If  you  in  this  land  of 
blessed  privileges  and  Gospel  light,  enjoy  the  blessing  of  life,  liberty  and 
happiness,  it  is  because  Christ's  disciples,  in  obedience  to  these  words  of 
the  Master,  preached  the  Gospel  to  your  ancestors.  This  command  will 
not  have  lost  its  power  or  meaning  to  the  Church  till  "  the  kingdoms  of 
this  world  have  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  His  Christ." 

The  Church  is  bending  its  energies  to  this  end.  It  remains  for  each 
individual  to  feel  that  he  has  a  share  in  this  work.  It  is  my  purpose  in 
addressing  you  upon  this  subject  to  awaken,  if  possible,  increased  in- 
terest and  confidence  in  foreign  missionary  work.  I  am  aware  that 
there  are  methods  of  viewing  this  subject  that  have  led  to  unfair  and 
uncharitable  conclusions  in  regard  to  this  work.  Some,  looking  only  at 
the  amount  annually  expended,  have  failed  to  see  adequate  results  of  these 
expenditures,  and  have  therefore  concluded  that  the  whole  enterprise  has 
not  proved  a  success.  Others  again  have  said  that  the  amount  sent  abroad 
might  be  turned  to  a  better  advantage  in  efforts  to  ameliorate  the  condition 
and  help  those  whom  they  call  "heathens  at  home," — as  if  there  is  any 
necessity  to  have  heathens  in  a  land  flowing  with  streams  from  the  wells  of 
salvation,  where  all  who  will  may  drink  and  live.  Conclusions  like  these 
are  not  worthy  a  Christian,  and  are  not  such  as  I  would  draw  from  the 
teachings  of  Christ,  who  estimated  the  value  of  one  soul  to  be  worth  more 
than  the  world's  wealth.  Nor  does  God,  if  His  revelations  in  His  word  are 
true,  limit  this  work  to  any  particular  place,  people  or  time,  or  spare  any 
efforts  or  means  for  the  salvation  of  the  human  race.  Even  if  it  necessi- 
tated the  gift  of  His  only  begotten  Son,  he  resolved  that  "whosoever 
believeth  in  Him  might  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life,"  it  being 
nothing  less  than  an  eternal  purpose  that  the  Gospel  of  His  kingdom  be 
preached  among  all  the  nationS  before  the  end  come..  There  can  be  but 
one  method  of  viewing  this  subject,  and  no  other  is  permissible;  surely 
not  to  the  Christian,  who  is  bound  to  look  upon  it  as  God  does,  and  view 
it  in  the  same  light. 

But  is  it  true  that  money  sent  or  contributed  to  the  foreign  field  has  been 
vainly  expended?  Let  me  call  attention  to  the  following,  from  The  Mis- 
sionary Review  : 

"  Comparing  this  percentage  of  increase  of  communicants  in  all  the 
foreign  missions  (19.71)  with  the  percentage  of  increase  in  Christendom 


29 

(.57).  •^he  difference  is  startling.  It  must  be  considered  that  our  data  for 
estimating  this  percentage  in  Christendom  are  far  less  complete  than  in 
case  of  the  foreign  mission  ;  but  with  all  proper  allowance  for  this,  the 
difference  is  still  remarkable  ;  and  if  we  rightly  understand  its  lessons,  one 
of  them  is  that  instead  of  limiting  Christian  efforts  to  Gospel-hardened 
sinners  in  Christendom,  Christ  would  have  his  last  command  obeyed — 
would  have  the  knowledge  and  offer  of  salvation  by  his  atoning  blood 
speedily  communicated  to  every  individual  of  the  race.  This  larger  bless- 
ing from  God  on  missions  among  the  heathen,  resulting  in  so  much  larger 
ingatherings  of  converts  in  heathendom  than  in  Christendom,  in  proportion 
to  the  men  and  money  employed  in  the  two  fields,  is  a  fact  which  deserves 
the  very  serious  and  prayerful  consideration  of  every  believer,  and  es- 
pecially of  every  young  man  entering  the  ministry." 

The  gain  of  one  thousand  converts  in  our  mission  during  the  past 
year,  and  of  two  thousand  in  the  last  three  years  bears  testimony  to 
the  facts  just  quoted.  These  results  have  been  attained  at  a  great  cost 
in  money  and  sacrifice  of  lives.  It  cost  something  before  the  Saxons 
were  won  from  their  devotion  to  heathen  deities  and  druidical  sacrifices 
to  become  worshipers  of  the  God  of  heaven,  and  by  the  influence  of  a 
Bible  Christianity  were  made  to  become  the  dominant  race  of  the  world. 
There  are  results  of  missionary  work  that  figures  and  statistics  can  not 
represent.  The  influence  exerted  upon  a  country  by  the  mere  presence 
ot  missionaries  with  the  Bible;  the  vast  number  who,  though  not  Chris- 
tians or  mentioned  in  reports,  have  been  elevated  by  contact  with  mis- 
sionaries;  the  number  of  children  who  are  annually  gathered  in  schools; 
the  cultured  men  who  hold  positions  of  influence  and  power,  and  the 
eftect  of  Christian  literature  upon  communities  where  published,  are  mat- 
ters which  you  can  not  gather  from  missionary  reports.  Then,  too,  you 
must  not  forget  to  estimate  the  reflex  influejice  exerted  upon  the  people 
of  Christendom,  together  with  the  contributions  made  by  missionaries  to 
science,  history,  geography,  and  literature  in  general.  Now,  the  poorest 
field  in  heathen  countries  sheds  an  influence  that  you  and  I  dare  not 
and  can  not  estimate  on  this  side  of  eternity.  Dr.  Thompson  says  he 
never  knew  how  much  to  appreciate  missionary  work  till  he  saw  that 
work  as  done  in  places  visited  by  himself  and  Dr.  Hott  during  their  travels 
in  the  East.    He  mentioned  especially  the  mission  at  Beyroot,  Syria,  where- 


30 

was  a  splendid  university  sending  out  cultured  men  annuall«y,  some  of 
whom  not  being  Christians  may  never  be  mentioned  in  reports,  who  are 
yet  holding  places  of  trust  and  honor.  All  this  is  in  addition  to  the 
Christian  literature  pubhshed  in  Arabic  and  in  several  dialects.  I  am 
glad,  however,  that  the  views  of  men  are  changing  regarding  the  condi- 
tion and  need  of  the  heathen  world  and  the  relation  of  the  Church  to  the 
heathen,  and  that  the  old  saying  "Charity  begins  at  home"  has  lost  its 
force.  Men  realize  that  duty  may  begin  at  home,  but  charity,  heaven's 
noblest  and  loveliest  grace,  expends  herself  abroad. 

Africa  has  been  for  nearly  a  century  the  scene  of  earnest,  faithful  mis- 
sionary work.  There  are  many  who  have  fallen  as  heroes  in  the  conflict, 
and  many  have  returned  broken  down  in  health.  A  wonderful  providence 
has  so  guarded  and  preserved  the  lives  of  the  missionaries  of  the  Church  of 
the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  that  during  the  thirty  years  of  its  operation 
in  that  land  none  have  died  in  the  field.  All  have  had  more  or  less  severe 
afflictions,  one  returned  to  die  among  friends. 

Among  the  Boards  or  societies,  besides  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ, 
actively  represented  on  the  West  Coast  are  the  Church  Missionary  Society, 
Society  for  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  Wesleyan  Metho- 
dists, Lutherans,  Baptists,  Congregationalists,  Episcopalians,  and  Presby- 
terians. The  work  of  Bishop  Taylor,  of  the  Methodist  Church,  should  be 
watched  with  great  interest.  It  is  certainly  a  stupendous  undertaking. 
The  life  and  force  that  it  must  set  in  motion  in  the  interior  with  what 
has  been  and  is  being  accomplished  on  the  coast,  will  enable  us  to  look 
forward  to  the  near  fulfillment  of  Scripture  when  Ethiopia  shall  have 
stretched  forth  her  hands  unto  God.  The  United  Brethren  in  Christ  are 
operating  in  five  districts  of  the  Sherbro  country,  Shaingay  and  Cock- 
borough,  Bompeh,  Sherbro  Isfand,  Bargroo,  and  Impereh.  These  are 
advantageous  positions,  not  only  bringing  besides  Sherbros,  representa- 
tives of  other  tribes  under  our  immediate  influence,  but  affording  openings 
for  a  steadier  advance  into  the  interior.  It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  per- 
sons from  the  interior  tribes  have  already  come  in  contact  with  our  mis- 
sionaries, and  have  heard  from  them  the  message  of  life.  The  wave 
being  set  in  motion  must  extend  and  widen  farther  each  year. 

Many  obstacles  present  themselves  to  the  Church  on  the  coast.  These 
must  be  overcome  before  this  glorious  future  is  realized.     But  the  gospel  is 


31 

equal  to  the  task.  It  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation.  You  have  seen 
from  the  description  given  you  the  dark  side  of  African  life,  yet  if  Paul's 
description  of  the  people  of  his  day  be  true  (Rom.  I.),  we  have  in  Africa 
the  same  condition.  To  doubt  the  power  of  the  gospel  to  meet  this  condi- 
tion is  to  question  God's  great  love  and  truthfulness.  Then  again  if  the 
past  has  any  lesson  in  it  as  regards  God's  dealings  with  men  and  the 
changes  that  his  word  has  wrought  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  we 
must  believe  that  the  same  "  Lord  over  all  is  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon 
him."  "  But  how  shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  they  have  not  believed, 
and  how  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard,  and  how  shall 
they  hear  withoufa  preacher  ?"  Religion  is  not  indigenous  to  any  particu- 
lar country,  nor  is  it  especially  adapted  to  any  one  climate.  Wherever 
found  it  is  exotic.  Yet  men  talk  and  express  doubts  of  the  Christianization 
of  Africa  and  Africans,  as  if  certain  nations  have  obtained  from  heaven  a 
patent  right  to  this  gospel  of  Christ. 

Another  obstacle,  and  one  demanding  the  serious  consideration  of  those 
interested  in  the  spread  of  Christianity,  is  the  effedl  of  the  rum  traffic 
among  the  people  of  the  West  Coast.  Native  wars  would  be  less  frequent, 
social  life  improved,  and  many  miseries  mitigated,  but  for  the  terrible 
effect  of  this  cursed  traffic*  Added  to  this  is  the  unprincipled  lives  of 
some  men  from  foreign  countries  who  in  those  dark  lands  throw  off  the 
restraints  of  civilized  life;  and  yet  such  are  the  men  who  are  often  loudest 
and  most  positive  in  their  assertions  that  missionary  work  in  heathen  lands 
"  does  not  amount  to  much,"  and  who  will  point  their  finger  in  ridicule  to 
the  wrecks  they  have  made  and  the  powers  they  have  blighted,  and  tell  us 
"That  is  an  example  of  your  missionary  converts.  You  can  not  make 
Christians  of  them,"  etc. 

The  results  of  missionary  efforts  and  successes  of  the  past  ought  to  in- 
spire confidence  in  every  heart.  Less  than  a  century  ago,  missionary 
labor  was  commenced  in  Sierra  Leone,  on  the  West  coast.  When  we  take 
into  consideration  the  condition  of  the  people  and  the  circumstances  under 
which  these  labors  were  commenced,  the  results  appear  almost  marvelous. 

*  The  firm  of  Messrs.  Yates  &  Porterfield,  of  New  York,  who  are  carrying  on  an  extensive 
trade  in  Africa,  not  only  do  not  engage  in  this  traffic,  but  do  not  allow  rum  or  liquors  to  be 
shipped  to  Africa  in  their  vessels..    This  is  a  worthy  example,  befitting  Christian  gentlemen. 

Since  writing  the  above,  I  have  seen  the  following  in  a  recent  periodical:  "  We  are  glad  to 
see  that  several  of  our  prominent  missionary  societies,  German,  British,  and  American,  are 
earnestly  petitioning  their  respective  governments  to  adopt  measures  for  effectually  restrict- 
ing the  Importation  and  sale  of  liquors  in  Africa.  We  earnestly  hope  their  petitions  may 
prevail.  The  wretchedness  and  woe  caused  in  Africa  by  the  importation  of  distilled  liquors 
are  enough  to  bring  the  condemnation  and  curse  of  God  on  all  who  have  engaged  in  this 
debasing  "crime,  and  on  the  nation  and  governments  which  have  tolerated  it.' 


82 

When  I  left  Africa  fifteen  years  ago  (1871),  Freetown  was  the  educational 
center.  There  were  but  few  institutions  that  professed  to  teach  more  than 
the  ordinary  branches.  On  my  return  eight  years  after,  great  and  rapid 
growth  and  improvement  was  manifest.  I  found  several  institutions  under 
efficient  native  teachers,  and  the  higher  branches  in  English  and  the 
classics  taught.  Many  of  Africa's  sons  and  daughters  were  seen  crowding, 
into  these  temples  of  learning. 

The  progress  of  religion  has  kept  pace  with  the  march  of  education,  for 
as  the  young  men  became  educated,  the  pulpits  received  better  supplies. 
Ministers  before  who  were  barely  able  to  read  the  Scriptures,  have  been 
replaced  or  improved  by  a  talented  ministry,  men  capable  of  interpreting 
the  word.  Men  like  Bishop  Crowther,  Quaker,  Moore,  Williams,  May, 
Archdeacon  Johnson,  Pierce,  Mark,  and  many  others  on  the  coast,  can 
grace  with  dignity  the  pulpits  of  any  country  in  Christendom. 

Bishop  Cheetham,  in  an  address  a  few  years  since,  mentioned  in  high 
terms  the  efficiency  of  the  native  ministry  in  Sierra  Leone,  and  that 
"  African  pastors  are  so  well  sustained  by  their  people,  that  there  is  no 
clerical  poverty  or  destitution  in  Sierra  Leone,  as  is  to  be  feared  prevails 
to  a  considerable  extent  in  England."  "Any  one  visiting  Sierra  Leone," 
he  adds,  "would  find  a  land  as  thoroughly  Christian  as  our  own,  whether 
that  would  be  saying  much  or  little.  He  would  find  a  land  of  schools 
and  chapels — a  land  of  liberty  and  freedoin."  Freetown  has  to-day  its 
barristers-at-law,  its  educated  physicians,  besides  men  in  the  various  de- 
partments of  the  colonial  government. 

What  is  true  of  Sierra  Leone  is  largely  true  of  other  portions  of  Africa. 
The  various  trades  that  have  been  acquired,  the  buildings  constructed,  all 
show  the  susceptibility  of  Africans  of  a  high  state  of  culture  and  develop- 
ment, morally,  intellectually,  physically.  Sherbro,  and  particularly  those 
portions  that  have  been  under  our  influence,  have  shown  a  remarkable 
change.  Fifteen  years  ago,  the  question  of  giving  up  the  Sherbro  mission 
was  strenuously  discussed,  for  there  was  but  one  station,  and  that  was 
faintly  struggling  for  existence.  Instead  now  of  a  single  weak  station, 
there  are  about  three  hundred  towns  and  villages  visited  by  our  mission- 
aries, while  nearly  three  thousand  souls,  once  heathens,  are  believers  in 
the  one  true  God,  and  His  Son,  Jesus  Christ.  Schools  have  been  opened, 
many  have  embraced  the  advantages  afforded,  and  have  shown  themselves 


38t 

worthy  of  a  higher  and  better  education.  With  the  limited  education  given 
them,  some  have  been  able  to  engage  in  business  and  trades,  while  a  few 
are  employed  as  teachers. 

^  XV.      PLANS   AND   METHODS. 

Our  plans  and  methods  of  work  have  given  us  an  advantage  that  is  even 
acknowledged  by  leading  men  of  sister  denominations  in  Sierra  Leone, 
for  our  farm,  mechanical  and  commercial  industries,  as  well  as  the  sound 
training  given  our  youths,  are  fully  adapted  to  the  wants  of  the  country. 
Besides,  we  have  not  been  content  with  the  work  done  in  towns  where  our 
stations  are  located,  but  our  plan  is  to  visit  each  town  and  village  within  a 
certain  area  about  each  station,  and  there  preach  the  word.  In  this  way 
large  districts  have  come  under  our  influence. 

§  XVI.      A   UNITED   STATES    OFFICER'S   TESTIMONY. 

Hon.  Judson  A.  Lewis,  United  States  Consul,  resident  at  Sierra  Leone, 
West  Africa,  a  gentleman  of  vast  experience  and  knowledge  of  the  people 
on  the  coast,  speaks  in  glowing  terms  of  our  work.  After  mentioning  the 
efficient  services  rendered  the  Church  and  missions  by  Bishop  D.  K.  Flick- 
inger  by  his  thorough  knowledge  of  the  needs  of  the  field,  owing  to  the 
Bishop's  frequent  visits  to  Africa,  he  adds  :  "  Shaingay  mission,  which  has 
been  under  the  charge  for  eleven  years  of  Rev.  Joseph  Gomer  and  wife, 
is  a  good  and  prosperous  mission.  Why  ?  Because  it  is  managed  on 
business  as  well  as  religious  principles.  It  is  an  industrial  mission,  where 
the  boys  and  girls  and  all  connected  with  it  are  regularly  taught  to  do  all 
kinds  of  work.  The  mission  has  a  farm,  and  the  boys  do  a  certain  number 
of  hours'  work  on  the  farm  every  day,  while  the  girls  are  as  regularly 
taught  to  sew,  to  do  house-work,  patch-work,  etc.  The  same  boys  and 
girls  also  attend  the  school,  where  they  are  taught  the  common  English 
branches,  and  on  Sunday  their  Sunday-school  lessons. 

"  Now,  the  working  part  of  the  mission  is  all-important,  and  renders  it 
largely  self-supporting.  Too  much  importance  can  not  be  attached  to  the 
labor  department,  for  this  renders  them  fit  to  do  something  in  their  own 
country  and  among  their  own  people ;  what  they  learn  under  these  cir- 
cumstances they  can  not  and  will  not  forget,  and  should  the  mission  be 
broken  up  and  removed  to-morrow,  all  the  useful  lessons  that  these  boys 
and  girls  have  learned  by  hard  work,  they  will  not  readily  forget.'' 
3 


u 

'  XVII.      COLONIZATION, 

The  work  of  a  missionary,  especially  in  a  country  like  Africa,  is  both  to 
civilize  and  to  Christianize  the  people.  We  have  seen  that  our  success  is 
based  largely  upon  our  combined  religious,  business,  and  industrial  enter- 
prises. But  only  a  comparatively  few  can  be  brought  under  the  direct 
influence  of  our  schools.  By  far  the  greater  number  are  beyond  this 
influence  and  must  be  reached  in  some  other  way.  I  can  conceive  of  no 
plan  that  would  prove  so  effective  as  that  of  planting  Christian  colonies  in 
various  portions  of  the  country,  so  that  the  masses  as  well  as  those  under 
our  instruction  may  be  benefited  by  this  contact  with  men  and  women 
from  civilized  or  Christian  countries.  More  can  be  learned  from  this 
object  lesson,  as  to  the  order  of  a  Christian  home  or  family  life  and  various 
methods  of  doing  business,  than  from  any  instructions  given  by  simply 
telling  how  this  and  that  thing  is  done  in  civilized  countries.  The  advan- 
tage to  the  country  and  people  arising  from  this  plan  is  next  to  having 
young  men  taken  to  this  country  or  to  Europe. 

I  object  to  colonization  based  upon  the  Liberian  plan,  as  by  it  pro- 
miscuous classes  were  forced  upon  Africa,  some  being  indigent  and 
worthless,  and  not  only  a  disgrace  to  America  but  a  hindrance  to  true 
progress.  What  benefit  could  you  hope  to  be  derived  from  a  people  who 
were  in  many  particulars  inferior  of  the  native  African  ?  Many  have  been 
the  laughing  stock  of  the  natives.  There  are  notable  exceptions,  it  is  true, 
but  the  present  condition  of  Liberia  shows  what  she  has  gained  from  this 
class  of  her  citizens. 

Send  Christian  men  and  their  families,  men  of  worth  and  principle,  men 
of  different  trades  and  callings, — help  them  to  settle  in  favorable  localities 
and  they  would  soon  eff'ect  a  change. 

The  exceeding  unhealthfulness  of  the  climate  is  often  urged.  While  this 
is  true,  let  me  here  state  that  the  death  rate  among  foreigners  has  decreased 
since  men  have  learned  that  they  can  not  live  debauched  and  reckless 
lives  with  impunity  ;  and  then,  too,  let  us  remember  that  America  was  not 
opened  and  settled  without  a  terrible  mortality  among  the  first  settlers. 

To  live  in  Africa  you  must  have  good  homes  in  the  most  favorable 
localities,  and  great  care  as  to  mode  of  living  and  food  must  be  main- 
tained. Merchants  and  others  are  willing  to  risk  Africa  for  money, —  has 
not  Christ  any  among  his  own  who  are  willing  to  risk  it  in  his  name  to 
gain  precious  souls? 


35 

2  XVIII.      MORE  WORK   FOR    CHRIST. 

These  successes  of  the  past  are  incentives  to  make  the  future  grander  in 
results  and  victories,  and  we  should  make  use  of  and  profit  even  by  our 
failures  and  mistakes,  so  as  to  put  into  operation  the  best  plans  and  make 
use  of  the  most  effective  agencies  to  accomplish  this  end. 

The  heathen  world  is  open  to  us.  God  in  a  most  remarkable  manner 
has  opened  the  "world"  to  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  This  he  has 
done  in  China,  Japan,  Africa,  and  other  places  hitherto  closed  to  a  Chris- 
tian missionary.  This  is  doubtless  due  to  the  prayers  of  the  Church  as 
also  to  a  fulfillment  of  God's  promises,  "  I  will  give  thee  the  heathen  for 
thine  inheritance,"  etc.  Have  we  faith  to  follow  in  the  path  pointed  to  us  ? 
God  has  fulfilled  many  of  his  promises;  will  the  Church,  true  to  its  God, 
consecrate  its  talent,  its  influence,  and  wealth?  Could  the  tenth  part  of 
the  wealth  of  the  Church  be  consecrated  to  his  cause  it  would  not  be  long 
before  the  heathen  world  would  have  heard  the  gospel.  I  may  be  pardoned 
if  I  quote  from  a  recent  sermon  delivered  by  Rev.  Z.  Warner,  D.  D.,  the 
missionary  secretary : 

"The  papers  say  we  spend  $125,000,000  for  dress  each  year.  If  this  be 
true,  then  $25,000,000  are  spent  by  Christians.  We  spend  $25,000,000  for 
kid  gloves.  Of  this  amount  $5,000,000  are  spent  by  American  •  church 
people;  $5,000,000  are  spent  for  ostrich  feathers,  or  $1,000,000  by  Chris- 
tians; $80,000,000  for  tobacco,  and  of  this  amount  more  than  $15,000,000 
are  spent  by  those  who  pray  for  the  conversion  of  the  world ;  $180,000,000 
are  spent  in  travel  abroad  by  60,000  Americans,  and  Christians  spend  their 
share.  Add  to  this  $900,000,000  for  strong  drink,  and  church  people  spend 
some  of  this,  and  you  can  see  where  much  of  this  money  goes.  There  is 
given  to  education  $95,000,000,  to  Christian  missions  $5,000,000,  and  to 
the  support  of  the  church  at  home,  $50,000,000. 

If  the  annual  income  of  the  American  church  is  $10,000,000,000,  then 
there  should  be  given  to  God  $100,000,000  annually:  This  would  give  to 
the  home  work  $75,000,000,  and  to  foreign  missions  $25,000,000." 

The  souls  to  be  won  for  Christ  are  many  and  precious.  If  heathens 
were  not  already  conscious  of  their  condition  we  might  afford  to  move 
slowly,  but  the  fact  is  the  heathen  not  only  is  conscious  of  his  need,  not 
only  feels  that  his  objects  of  trust  have  failed  him,  but  having  learned  of  a 
God  and  a  religion  that  saves,  turns  to  the  Church,  and  asks  to  be  per- 
mitted to  know  something  of  that  God. 


m 

Who  will  dare  deny  him  the  "Words  of  Life?"  It  is  true  that  not  all 
Africans  have  been  awakened  to  this  degree  of  consciousness,  but  as  long 
as  man  has  in  him  a  soul,  whose  source  is  God,  there  must  come  a  time 
when  that  soul  must  be  conscious  of  its  relation  to  God.  This  is  true  of 
individuals, —  it  is  true  of  nations.  This  cry  now  heard  upon  Africa's 
shores  is  the  echo  of  a  universal  wail,  "  Give  us  the  time  God  or  we  must 
make  a  god  for  ourselves." 

I  call  to  mind  an  incident  in  missionary  experience.  An  itinerant  of 
our  mission,  while  spending  a  night  in  one  of  the  towns  of  his  district,  was 
awakened  late  in  the  night  by  the  sound  of  foot-steps  and  noise  about  the 
door  of  his  hut.  His  first  thoughts  were,  "this  must  be  a  war  party."  But 
his  fears  were  quieted  when  he  heard  a  voice  call  "  Soo-kool-massa!  soo- 
kool-massa!'^  (school-master).  Upon  going  out  he  found  a  goodly  number 
of  persons  about  the  door,  who  were  come  to  hear  "God  palaver."  They 
had  heard  in  their  heathen  village  from  two  of  their  citizens,  that  a  "God 
man"  had  talked  "God  palaver"  in  a  town  not  far  from  them.  These 
two  men  attempted  to  tell  what  they  had  heard,  but  their  poor  efforts  only 
increased  the  desire  to  hear  the  word.  This  was  the  cause  of  their  nocturnal 
visit.     Who  could  resist  this  mute  but  eloquent  appeal  ? 

Ah,  Christian  friends,  many  such  appeals  have  come  to  us  that  we  could 
not  heed.  We  have  been  pained  to  hear  calls  for  the  Gospel  that  we 
could  not  supply,  for  we  have  been  compelled  to  limit  our  efforts  to  certain 
bounds.  I  do  not  know  where  God  wants  us  to  limit  our  work,  and  I  have 
been  alarmed  when  I  have  passed  by  places  that  needed  the  Gospel,  for  I 
somehow  felt  that  God  must  call  somebody  to  account  for  not  giving  it. 

"We  are  not  responsible  for  every  heathen  that  dies,  for  all  won't  be 
saved,  anyhow."  You  are  not  sure  about  that.  If  I  was  passing  by  a 
body  of  water,  and  should  see  some  one  drowning,  and  should  throw  in 
ropes  or  sticks  or  anything  to  help  that  drowning  man,  even  if  I  did  not 
succeed,  and  I  saw  him  go  from  me  and  sink  in  the  water,  I  say  to  you, 
though  I  may  never  forget  the  look  of  agony  on  that  dying  face,  I  should 
feel  better  because  I  had  done  something  to  save  him.  On  the  other  hand, 
not  all  the  melodies  chanted  by  the  heavenly  choir  could  still  the  thunders 
of  an  accusing  conscience,  had  I  passed  by  without  an  effort  to  save  him. 
Let  me  ask  you,  with  the  heathen  world  perishing  in  its  sin  against  God, 
and  the  Master  calling,  can  you,  unawakened  to  their  cries  and  deaf  to  His 
commands,  yet  feel  that  you  have  the  enjoyment  of  Christ's  love  ? 


37 

"  Let  none  hear  you  idly  saying. 

There  is  nothing  I  can  do, 
While  the  souls  of  men  are  dying, 

And  the  Master  calls  for  you. 
Take  the  task  He  gives  you,  gladly,— 

Let  His  work  your  pleasure  be; 
Answer  quickly  when  He  calleth: 

'Here  am  I;  send  me!  send  mel'" 

In  conclusion,  let  me  urge  you  to  take  up  as  a  battle-cry,  "Sherbro  for 
Christ !  "  God  has  led  the  Church  into  that  territory,  and  we  are  there  to 
stay.  But  to  occupy  that  vast  territory  will  require  men  and  money.  You 
supply  the  money,  and  God  will  raise  the  men.  Fortunately  for  us,  there 
are  young  men  and  women  in  Africa  who  are  ready  to  enter  the  field  if 
you  give  them  the  necessary  preparation  for  the  work.  The  training  school 
to  be  opened  shortly  in  Africa,  has  so  much  in  its  favor,  and  the  advan- 
tages to  be  derived  from  it  are  so  apparent,  that  I  need  not  take  the  time 
to  present  them.  But  I  want  your  boys  and  girls  in  the  Sunday-school  to 
set  this  school  in  motion.  If  we  can  get  any  fifty  of  you  to  give  each  five 
cents  a  month  for  three  years,  we  could  use  that  amount  to  educate  a  boy 
or  girl  in  the  school. 

Many  of  you  see  the  necessity  for  occupying  the  field,  and  yet  you  do  not 
see  how  you  can  go,  or  give  up  your  children  to  the  work.  This  plan 
shows  you  how  you  can  stay  at  home  and  yet  serve  the  Master  in  heathen 
Africa.  Let  your  contributions  of  books,  clothing  and  money  prove  your 
interest  in  the  salvation  of  the  heathen  and  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom. 


mission  life  in  africa, 

Likenesses  of  Missionaries  and  Officers, 


— AND — 


Many  African  Curiosities. 


-^- 


This  Book  hris  been  prepared  with  care,  and  can  not  fail  to 
be  entertaining  and  useful  to  all  who  have  the  cause  of  missions 
at  heart.     It  is  especiall}'  useful  to  United  Brethren  niinisteis. 

It  also  contains  a  review  of  the  United  Brethren  missionary 
work  down  to  the  General  Conference  of  1885. 

It  contains  440  pages  octavo,  and  is  mechanically  well  ex- 
ecuted.    Retail  price,  $1,00.     Good  discount  to  the  trade. 

It  contains  also  a  portrait  of  all  our  African  Missionaries 
and  Missionary  Officers. 

Send  orders  to 

Rev.  Wm.  McKee. 
Or,  Rev.  W.  J.  Shuey,  Dayton.  Ohio. 


MISSIONARY  CARDS  AND  BOXES. 


We  keep  on    hand   for   gratuitous   distribution   for  Unitec\ 
Brethren  itinerants  and  others  interested  in  mission-work  a  sup- 
ply of  cards,  both  for  subscriptions  and  for  cash  collections  by  J 
the  children.     They  are  both  convenient  and  useful. 
Send  orders  to 

Kev.  Wm.  McKee,  Dayton,  Ohio. 

LIFE  MEMBERSAND  LIFE  DIRECTORS. 


The  payment  of  $50.00  at  one  time,  or  in  two  annual  jDay. 
nients,  to  any  department  of  our  mission-work,  entitles  the  do- 
nor to  a  Certificate  of  Life  Directorship  in  the  society ;  and  th( 
pfiyment  of  $10.00  at  one  time,  or  in  two  annual  pa3anents,  tc 
any  department  of  our  mission-work,  entitles  tlie  donor  to 
Certificate  of  Life  Membershi}). 

Rev.  Z.  Warnei{,  Cor.  Secretary, 

Davton,  OtiioI 


MAP  OF  WEST  AFRICA. 


A  few  copies  of  tliis  map  ready  mounted  and  suitable  for  th^ 
study  and  the  Sunday-school,   are   still  on  sale  at    the   rnite(| 
Brethren  Mission  Rooms.     The  map  shows  the  situation  of  Fn 
town,  Shaingay,   Bonthe,   Avery,  Rotofunk,  and  other  missio 
stations,   and  the  country   and   ocean  round   about.     Price, 
cents,  post-paid.     Send  orders  to 

Ri  \.   Wm.  McKee,  Dayton,  01ii<J. 


PHOTOMOUNT 

PAMPHLET  BINDER 

<^ 

Manufactured  by 

GAYLORD  BROS.  Inc. 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Stockton,  Calif. 


